And james b



S. BALKWILL AND. J. B STRONG.

RAILROAD CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY.13. 191s.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

2 SHEETS -SHEET I.

S. BALKWIL]. AND J. B. STRONG.

RAILROAD CROSSING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13. 1318..

1,3153%. v PatentedSept. 2, 1919. l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

STEPHEN BALKWILL, OE CLEVELAND, OHIO, AND JAMES B. STRONG, OF HILLBURN, NEW YORK; SAID STRONG ASSIGNOR OF HIS-EIGHT TO THE BALKWILL MANGANESE CROSSING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

RAILROADGROSSING.

wis es;

Application filed May 13, 1918. Serial No. 234 036.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Srrnrnnn BALKWILL and Janus 13. Screens, citizens of the United States, and. residents, respectively, of Cleveland in the county of Cuyahoga and State oi Ohio, and l'lillburn, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have in vented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hailroad-Crossings, oi which the following is a tall, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a cast crossing suitable for use in railroad track work or for analogous uses.

The object of the invention is to provide a crossing in which the crossing is cast in separate parts, which, when assembled co1nprise a complete crossing, and the manner of engagement of the several parts is such. as to permit a limited amount of flexibility hetwcen the parts off the crossing, particularly at those portions which in service most frequently fracture where solid castings are used.' l

A further object of the invention is to providea construction whereby those portions of the crossing receiving the greatest amount oi wear may be renewed, and in carrying this into eitect each of. the corner castings of the crossing embody all. of the parts subject to excessive wcar therebyrelieving the heavier and more expensive castings which are intermediate oi the crossing members. These renewable corner castings may be replaced when they becomcbadly worn or damaged from any cause, without renewal of the heavier intermediate castings, thereby securing full, life for the intermediate castings and providing a crossing which is low in its cost of upkeep.

A further object to provide a construction in which the center plate, upon which the i'langeways intersect, is secured to the corner casting thereby avoiding diliiculties with respect to holding the centenplate in place where the centerplate is not a part of the. casting. This construction enables the full wearing life of the center-plate to be obtained.

Generally speaking, the invention may he said to comprise the elements and con'ibina tions thereof set forth in the accompanying claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings formlng a: part of this specification, in which Figure 1. is atop plan view of a portion of a crossing embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan View of a portion of acrossing embodying; our invention with certain modifications; Fig. 3 is a top plan viewof an element of the crossing; Fig. 4!: is a top plan view of an element of the crossing; Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a knee bar by which portions, of the crossing are secured togetheryliig. 6 is a top plan view of an element of a modified form. of

crossing; Fig. 7 is a top plan view of an element or a modified form of crossing;

Fig. 8 shows rail sections which cooperate with the parts shown in Figs. 6 and 7; Fig.

9 is a top plan view of a knee bar for secur ingparts of the crossing together; Fig. 10 1s a section upon the lines A A of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 11 is a section upon the line F-F of Fig. 2; Fig. 12 is a, section upon the line E E of Fig. 1; and Fig. -13 is a section upon the line B-li of Fig.2.

(hos-sings which are made up as solid'cast ings are very prone to break along a line at the bottom of the'whecl flangeways adjacent to the portion where the wheel fiangeways oi? intersecting tracks cross. A fracture of the crossing in this manner results in the necessity for replacing;- the entire crossii'ig and such fractures frequently take place even though the wearing qualities of the crossing are not nearly exhausted.

v The crossing herein proposed is made up of a number of coo mratlng parts which form intersecting wheel flangeways in the top suriace of the crossing, and the parts cooperate in such a manner that there is l a limited amount of flexibility between the parts of the crossing, partlcnlarly at those portions of the crossing adjacent the point ice In Fig. 1 a portion of a crossing is shown,

a complete crossing consisting of four parts, such as illustrated at 1, and foucparts such as indicated at 2. It will be understood that the remaining portion of the crossing is made up in the same manner as that indicated at Fig.- 1.

The member 1 is U-shaped, and comprises 4 the central portion 1 with the arms 1", 1.

The portion 1 hasformed therein a wheel flange groove '1 and the portion of the casting 1 which lies beyond the groove 1 forms a guard for the'flange of the wheel, while the portion 1 adjacent the groove is the tread portion over which the perlphery of a car wheel may run.

The arms 1 and .1 each form guard portions that cooperate with the adjacent corner members 2 of the crossing. A detached view showin the construction of member 1 is shown in ig. 3.

A corner member such as indicated at 2 is shown in detached position in Fig. 4.

Each corner member comprises two arm portions 2 and 2 The arms portions 2, 2

are notched out adjacent their ends as indicated at 2 for the purpose of receiving the end of a rail of a track with which the .of the partial flangeways 2 formed in the member 2. At the sides of the portion 2 there are extensions 2, these extensions being indicated invFig. 10, and these extensions 2 cooperate with complementary grooves 1 formed in a portion of the members 1 which are adjacent to a corner 2.

Each of the members 2 adjacent the partially formed wheel flange groo'ves 2 thereof are provided with extensions 2 which cooperate with groove portions formed in the adjacent members 1, such as indicated at 1 in Fig. 3. I

lVhen the crossing is assembled, and the I projections 2 and 2 occupy the respective recesses 1, and l formed in the members 1 which are adjacent to a member 2, the various portions of the crossing are secured together by transversely extending bolts, such as indicated by the dottedlines 3 in Fig. 1.

Upon what we may term the inside of the crossing, that is to say, within the hollow square formed by the assembledparts of the crossing, the knee bars or straps 4: are placed at the corners, and are fastened by suitable bolts to the members of the crossing with which each knee bar cooperates, thus binding the portions of the crossing securely together, a

It will be seen that each wheel flange groove as it approaches the crossing of the flangeways. isin nart formed in a member 2 and in the arm of a member 1, and at this portion of the wheel flangeway there is such 'a connection as permits a limited amount of relative movement between the parts of the crossing so that those stresses and strains which are set up in the crossing as a wheel passes over the. crossing, are taken up by the relative movement of the parts without damage to the parts of the crossing. I

It is at just such portions of a solid crossing that fractures very large y occur, and therefore it will be seen that ve provide a fracture at these portions in advance and so secure them together "that the stresses and strains are taken up by the limited amount of relative movement which is permitted between the parts. The projecting portion 2 of the member 2 also has a certain amount of flexibility in their connection with the members 1 which are adjacent thereto in a crossing.

lVhile we have shown and described projections 2 and 2 as formed upon the member 2 and cooperating recesses 1 and 1 formed upon the member 1, it will be readily understood that it is within the scope of our invention to transpose these projections and recesses, thereby having projections similar to the projections 2. and 2 formed upon the member 1, and recesses similar to the reccsses 1, 1 formed in the member 2.

If it be desired, instead of forming the member 1 so as tohave the wheel flange guard l cast integral with the member 1,. we may provide a separate bolted on wheel flange guard member'; this may be readily done as is illustrated in Figs 2, 6, 7 8 and 9.

In this form of crossing there are four members, such as indicated at 5, and four corner members such as indicated at 6, which members cooperate, when forming a crossing in the same manner as indicated in Fig. 2.

The construction of the member 5 is simi lar in all respects to the construction of the member 1, as before described, except the extension 5 is lower than the top or tread portion 5 of the member 5, and requires a rail member such as mdicated at 7, to be secured to the member '5 against the extension 5,

which construction provides a wheel flangeway between the member 5 and the guard rail 7. It will be understood that the guard rail is secured to the member 5. There are four such guard rails for a crossing which meet and are mitered at their corners, and are secured to the parts of the cross-ing by bolts, or other suitable means, such as will readily be understood.

The member 6 is. similar in all respects to the part 2, except that in the extension 6, the front or forward portion thereof as indlcated at 6 is formed to receive the end portion of the guard rails 7.

When the various portions of the crossmg are secured together the knee bar memtempos bore 8 are secured at the corners where the rails 7 meet, and so form tying members between the various portions of the crossing.

Havingv described our invention, we

claim t t 1. In a railroad crossmg, the combinatlon of a corner member havlng arms 'wlth wheel tread portions thereon, and having a plate. like extension having sides which extend at an angle to thearms, said extension being adjacent the intersection of the armsand having complete wheel flange ways formed therein, and cooperating crossing members formed with wheel tread portions which aline with-the wheel tread portions ,of the corner member.

2. In a railroadcrossing, the combination.

of a corner memberhaving arms with wheel tree-:1 portions thereon formed with artial wheel flangeways therein and having a plate like member with complete wheel flangeways formed therein, said member extending from the corner member. adjacent the intersection of the arms, crossing members having arms which 006perate wlth the arms of the corner member to complete the partially formed fl-angeways of the corner members, said cooperating members having portions which receive and. fit with thesaid plate like member.

3. In a railroad crosslng, the combination of corner members and intermediate members, said intermediate members having wheel flangew-ays formed in the top thereof,

said intermediate members also having arms,

said corner members having arms with partially formed wheel fiangeways therein,

which arms cooperate with the, arms of adjacent intermediate members toform complete wheel fiangeways, said corner members each having an extending portion which has wheel fiangeways formed in the top thereof, each of said extending portions engaging with the intermediate members adjacent thereto, whereby the wheel flangeways of the projecting portion aline with the wheel flange grooves formed in and by the other members of the crossing when the several members of the crossing are assembled.

4. In a railway crossing, the combination of members each havinga part with a tread portion and an arm element formed as a guard, and other members forming a corner having elements each of which form a tread portion, said corner members also having an extension formed with wheel flaugeways in the to thereof, each arm element. before and cooperating mentioned engaging with an element of a corner member formlng a tread portion above the base of said member thereby to form a wheel flangeway, one of the engaging elements being formed wlth a depression above the'base thereof, and the otherbeiug formed with a pro ection which cooperates with the said depression,

5. In a railway crossing, thecombination of members each having a rim with a tread portion and .an arm element formed as a guard, and other members forming corners 7 having elements each of which forms a tread portion, said corner members each being provided with aprojection having wheel flangeways formed in the top thereof, each arm element before mentioned element forming a. tread portion above the base of said member thereby to form wheel engaging with an flangeways, one of the engaging elements ,beingjformedwith a depression above the base thereof, and the other being formedwith a projection which cooperates with the said depression, each of said members and the projecting portion of each corner mem her being formed with engaging projections and depressions whereby the projecting portion of the corner is supported by the crossing members.

-6. A railway crossing having approach portions, each approach portion being formed in two parts, said parts cooperating to form a wheel flangeway, the said parts engaging along the surface of contact at which the parts are secured together, one of the parts being formed with a projection member when in position and the other with a depression above the base thereof, the projection engaging. the

depression whereby the engaging member is supported in part-by the engaged member and in part independently supported thereby permitting a. limited amount of flexibilltv in the connection, a projection formed intein the top thereof,.the- 

